Certification

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Plate heat exchangers
Certification manual
Certification Manual
Documents
Technical Certification Rules

Scope of the programme

The Eurovent Certified Performance (ECP) programme scope for Plate Heat Exchangers (AAHE), applies to all ranges of air-to-air plate and tube heat exchangers, which are included in the certified public selection software of the applicant/participant. Plate heat exchangers are certified under two product types:

  • Plate heat exchangers with humidity transfer
  • Plate heat exchangers without humidity transfer.

The applicant/participant shall certify all models in the ranges, including:

  • Cross flow, counter-flow and parallel flow units
  • All sizes
  • All materials
  • All airflow rates
  • All edge lengths.

The programme does not cover other types of air-to-air heat exchangers like rotary heat exchangers or heat pipes. Combination of units (twin coil heat exchangers) shall not be included, nor heat exchangers with accessories such as bypass and dampers. Details of programme exclusions can be found in the Technical Certification Rules.

Certify-all principle

Whenever a company participates in the programme for plate heat exchangers, all applicable products that are promoted by the applicant/participant to end-users, specifiers, trading companies, contractors by means of paper or electronic catalogue, price list or software within the scope of the programme, shall be certified. This is done in accordance with the Technical Certification Rules and includes all models in modular ranges. For the AAHE programme, the certify-all requirement is applicable not only to the European market but worldwide also, and is defined in the Certification Manual.

Product type

Air-to-air plate and tube heat exchangers are designed to transfer thermal energy (sensible or total) from one air stream to another, passively, without any moving parts. Known for their energy efficiency and low maintenance, they are typically used in heat recovery applications to reduce heating or cooling loads for both buildings and processes. 

Heat transfer surfaces are in the form of plates or tubes, enclosed in a casing. These heat exchangers do not mix the air streams. Heat is exchanged between the separate air streams via convection. Depending on type, the heat exchanger can be built of aluminium or stainless steel, and may include specialist coatings. The heat exchanger construction may be parallel flow, cross flow or counter flow construction, or a combination of all. 

Plate heat exchangers are typically used in systems utilising Air Handing Units (AHUs), but they can be used in other applications, such as in the exhaust gases of an industrial process. The heat exchangers are usually placed between the return and supply AHU to use the exhaust air to either pre-heat or pre-cool the incoming supply air. Plate heat exchangers are also used in heat recovery units. Tube heat exchangers are particularly suited to industrial applications and processes, where higher pressures and temperatures are required.

Under the programme, air-to-air plate and tube heat exchangers are certified under the product types with humidity transfer or without humidity transfer.

Definitions

While exploring our certified products you’ll come across a number of technical terms relating to certification. The below definitions help explain the search criteria in our certified product directory.

Certified product types in the plate heat exchangers certification programme have some but not all the following search criteria in common:

Brand
Brand name of the manufacturer.

Range 
Listing of models with some common features.

Model
Model name.

Plate spacing
Is the spacing between the plates in mm. 

Plate length
Is the length of the plate in mm.

Plate height
Is the height of the plate in mm.

Plate thickness
Is the thickness of the plate in mm.

Casing outside length
Is the outside length of the casing in mm.

Casing outside height 
Is the outside height of the casing in mm.

Influence of pressure difference on PD
Is the influence of pressure difference on pressure drop. Pressure drop is the loss in total pressure between the inlet and the outlet of a unit. Measured in Pa.

Nominal Pressure Drop
Is the pressure drop at nominal conditions. The nominal pressure drop
of each unit must be defined by the manufacturer and is measured in Pa, e.g. 50 Pa, 100 Pa, 150 Pa or 200 Pa. 

Winter Temperature Efficiency Dry @100%, 50% and 150% Nominal PD 
Is the ratio of dry temperature differences, between the exhaust air inlet, exhaust air outlet, supply air inlet and supply air outlet under winter conditions. Measured in percentage at 100%, 50% and 150% nominal pressure drop.

Summer Temperature Efficiency Dry @100%, 50% and 150% Nominal PD
Is the ratio of dry temperature differences, between the exhaust air inlet, exhaust air outlet, supply air inlet and supply air outlet, in plate heat exchangers with humidity transfer, under summer conditions. Measured in percentage at 100%, 50% and 150% nominal pressure drop.

Winter Temperature Efficiency Wet @100%, 50% and 150% Nominal PD 
Is the ratio of dry bulb temperature differences, between the exhaust air inlet, exhaust air outlet, supply air inlet and supply air outlet, when condensation occurs, under winter conditions. Measured in percentage at 100%, 50% and 150% nominal pressure drop.

Summer Temperature Efficiency Wet @100%, 50% and 150% Nominal PD
Is the ratio of dry bulb temperature differences, between the exhaust air inlet, exhaust air outlet, supply air inlet and supply air outlet, when condensation occurs, in plate heat exchangers with humidity transfer, under summer conditions. Measured in percentage at 100%, 50% and 150% nominal pressure drop.

Summer Humidity Efficiency @100%, 50% and 150% Nominal PD
Is the ratio of absolute humidity differences, between the exhaust air inlet, exhaust air outlet, supply air inlet and supply air outlet, in plate heat exchangers with humidity transfer, under summer conditions. Measured in percentage at 100%, 50% and 150% nominal pressure drop.

AAHE Qv Nominal PD / AAHE Qv 50% Nominal PD / AAHE Qv 150% Nominal PD
Is the air flow rate at 100%, 50% and 150% nominal pressure drop. Measured in m3/h. 

Factory country
Country of manufacture.

Factory city
City of manufacture.

Software version
Version of software selection tool.

Software name
Name of software selection tool.


Search for certified products in our Plate Heat Exchanger programme via our certified product directory

Certified characteristics

The following performance items are certified:

  • Under standard conditions (20°C, 50% rel. humidity and 1.013 105 Pa - or 1.20 kg/m³ density):
    • Airflow
    • Pressure drop.
  • Under winter conditions (warm air temperature: 25°C, 60% and 20% rel. humidity; inlet temperature of cold air: -3°C and 5oC, 90% and 50% humidity):
    • Temperature efficiency dry [%]
    • Temperature efficiency wet [%]
    • Humidity efficiency for plate heat exchangers with humidity transfer [%].
  • •    Under summer conditions for plate heat exchangers with humidity transfer (warm air temperature: 35°C, 50% rel. humidity; inlet temperature of cold air: 25°C, 50% rel. humidity):
    • Temperature efficiency dry [%]
    • Temperature efficiency wet [%]
    • Humidity efficiency [%].

Search for certified products in our Plate Heat Exchanger programme via our certified product directory.

Find out how to apply for the Plate Heat Exchanger programme

💡 Good to know

When using the Advanced Search Criteria function for plate heat exchangers with humidity transfer, you can search via plate length; summer temperature efficiency dry @ 100%, 50% or 150% nominal PD; winter temperature efficiency dry @ 100%, 50% or 150% nominal PD; summer temperature efficiency wet @ 100%, 50% or 150% nominal PD; winter temperature efficiency wet @ 100%, 50% of 150% nominal PD; summer humidity efficiency @ 100%, 50% or 150% nominal PD, AAHE Qv at nominal PD, 50% and 150%.

When using the Advanced Search Criteria function for plate heat exchangers without humidity transfer, you can search via winter temperature efficiency dry @ 100%, 50% or 150% nominal PD; winter temperature efficiency wet @ 100%, 50% or 150% nominal PD; AAHE Qv nominal PD, AAHE Qv at nominal PD, 50% and 150%.

 

Search for certified products in our Plate Heat Exchanger programme

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